Miniature Mayhem game is completed!

[dragaron]

If you want to try it out, just go to doanthenado.com/hosted-material.html#dragaron-MM to download it.

[Tinbok]

Cool! I'll try it if (or when ;D muahahaha) I get my FTD.

[vespuleth]

seeing as how its up there, can we get some details about it?

[dragaron]

The game is basically my stab at making an action-oriented game. I am about 90% done on my RPG game, and just needed a break from it. So I created Miniature Mayhem.

My greatest challenge involved making a functional action game that uses both content and action scripts without any interuptions in desplaying visual effects or slow-down from too many visual effects being displayed (which can be very tricky). You can lay a bomb (actually up to 3 of 'em) anywhere you can walk. The exact split-second when the bomb(s) go off it will damage either you or the enemy if close enough to it.

The bombs range of effect is this (1 is where the bomb is layed):

33333
32223
32123
32223
33333

For the player:
3= light controller vibration
2= med controller vibration (-1 heart)
1= hard controller vibration (-2 hearts)

(Note: Turning the controller vibration ON is a special added feature... Beat the game to figure out how to enable it)

For the enemy (or enemies):
3= no effect
2= -1 heart
1= -2 hearts

The bombs will shrink the enemies. Once the enemies are shrunk down enough, they will turn red (which means that you can catch them and throw them into a growth-prevention bottle). Over time though, enemies will recuperate and grow bigger. If you try to catch an enemy that isn't stunned (colored red), you will sustain damage based on the strength of the enemy. The enemies will not attack you, so your only danger is your bombs and trying to catch an enemy that isn't stunned. Trust me, this poses enough of a threat considering that you have to anticipate an enemies movements and be cautious with bomb usage (since you only have a limited amount of bombs to use).

The controls:
X button: Drop bombs (up to 3 max)
Triangle button: Catch a stunned enemy and put 'em in your bottle.
Square button: Give up (if you run out of bombs)
Circle button: Run
L3 button: Change view
R3 button: Change BGM
Select: Use your potion sphere to regain full health (5 hearts)

Picking up bomb bags will give you more bombs (amount of bombs given depends on the size of the bag: Can be 10, 20, 30, 40, 50 or 100 bombs)

Picking up a potion sphere fragment will enlarge your potion sphere (shown in the upper left hand corner).

I think that the visual effects in this game were very tastefully done. The timing of everything in this game is VERY precise. The control is tight. I think anyone who plays it will atleast like one aspect about it... And if not, no big deal. You can't please 'em all, right?

[Deleted]

That sounds awesome!! One thing that kind of cought my attention though was the bomb's range of effect:
33333
33233
32123
33233
33333
I think it may be better to take out the corners like this.
-3.3.3-
33233
32123
33233
-3.3.3-
That's all. This does sound awesome though. I'll make sure to check it out.

[dragaron]

Yeah, I just noticed a goof-up...

The range of effect in the game is actually:

33333
32223
32123
32223
33333

And not:

33333
33233
32123
33233
33333

Otherwise what you suggested would have been an awesome idea and would have looked like:

x333x
33233
32123
33233
x333x

Thanks for the idea!

[dragaron]

To those who played the game, what do you think? What do you like and dislike? What would you change or modify? (Yes, I am fishing for praises and criticisms...)

[NASH7777]

Well I'm afraid I'm gunna have to ba a critic

Just that the game annoyed the hell out of me. Everytime you die you have to reload the game because it brins you back to the RPGM2 title. Couldn't you just have had them get full life and go back to level one or something. If not even the last level they played. I mean c'mon I stopped playing cause I had to keep reloading it.

[Dungeon Warden]

Not only does the game exit if you die, it also quits if you hit []. What genius thought [] was a good button to use to end the game? It is way too easy to hit [] by accident. Why doesn't [] heal you and select quit instead? I really don't understand what you were thinking.

How hard is it to save two variables (hearts and bombs) so you can restart a level instead of having to start all over again?

It takes 20-25 bombs to defeat the first enemy leaving you 5-10 for the next level. You are them given 10 more for a total of 15-20 making it nearly impossible to take out the second target. If you try to save bombs, the enemy keeps recovering making it impossible to take him out the first time. I don't know how much you play tested this, but you'd have to be very good to make it to the third level.

If you bomb the heck out of the target, you are almost guarenteed to get hurt. Since the enemy recovers, and you don't, there is really little hope of getting very far whatever you do.

Please use a special effect to show the areas the bomb targets - including color coding the distance. ex. red (around the bomb) does 2 damage, orange (one space away) does 1 damage, and yellow (three spaces) stuns the enemy/ player (see option 4 below for an expansion of this idea). Visual clues are welcome in any game.

You should make vibration available from the beginning. Since you can't feel or see the bomb go off, there is no way to know if you are a safe distance away or not. You really don't have time to count squares.

Suggestions:

1. Get rid of the bomb limit and put in a time limit instead.

2. Limit the bombs but give the player a way to get more. For example, the player has to waste time, allowing the enemy to recover, while he runs to a bomb restock area.

3. Don't allow the enemy to recover. This would allow the player more time to place bombs and get away without having to worry about the enemy recoving while he runs around. This would make the game more strategic as the player tries to use as few bombs as possible to take the enemy out.

4. Give the character a weapon so he can stun the enemy before placing the bomb. This would allow the current game play to work since one of the problems is the enemy moves away from the bomb before it goes off.

5. Do it like Zelda, and have the enemy eat the bomb. This is similar to the above but removes the need for a weapon. The player then needs to place the bomb in the correct place before it goes off. This would also reduce the chance of the player getting hurt.

6. Give the player a number of lives and start the current level over when he dies. If all lives are lost, restart the game. DON'T quit the game unless the player wants to quit (offer a menu choice).

7. Increase number of enemies each level and/or make them move faster. Allow the player to heal and get bombs at specific points on the map. Let the enemy damage the character if he touches them. I think this would be more fun then the current style of game play.

This is a very fustrating game, however I wanted to keep playing because it is a fun idea. The best games start out slow and easy, giving the player a chance to learn the system, and then slowly get more difficult. This game is difficult to even get passed the first level. You should be able to do the first 3-4 levels at least before it gets this hard.

Keep working on it. The idea has some real potential.

[dragaron]

Thanks for the feedback! My replies are in bold text...

Quote: Nash

"Well I'm afraid I'm gunna have to ba a critic

Just that the game annoyed the hell out of me. Everytime you die you have to reload the game because it brins you back to the RPGM2 title. Couldn't you just have had them get full life and go back to level one or something. If not even the last level they played. I mean c'mon I stopped playing cause I had to keep reloading it."

Ah, you've grown soft over the years buddy! Don't you remember playing Castlevania for the NES? You get to that level where the Grim Reaper hands yours to you on a silver platter, and then you have to restart the game and try harder next time. Don't even get me started on Ninja Gaiden for the NES... But seriously though, you have a good point. Restarting from level 1 would be a great idea (instead of waiting 10 seconds for the game to reload).



Quote: Dungeon Warden

"Not only does the game exit if you die, it also quits if you hit []. What genius thought [] was a good button to use to end the game? It is way too easy to hit [] by accident. As long as your hands aren't comprised of all thumbs, this shouldn't be a problem... Why doesn't [] heal you and select quit instead? The square button (being a content script) is the only way to interupt the action scripts running... Otherwise, that would be a possibility. I really don't understand what you were thinking.

How hard is it to save two variables (hearts and bombs) so you can restart a level instead of having to start all over again? I couldn't call a content script from an action script... (More specifically, if I call a content script from an action script the content script is treated as an action script and content only commands are ignored).

It takes 20-25 bombs to defeat the first enemy leaving you 5-10 for the next level. It should only take about 10-15 bombs for the first enemy. Just corner him and lay 3 bombs down so that even if he moves to the left or right, he will still be affected. If your lucky, he'll walk on the bomb and sustain serious damage.You are them given 10 more for a total of 15-20 making it nearly impossible to take out the second target. If you try to save bombs, the enemy keeps recovering making it impossible to take him out the first time. Enemies will start at max health in the begining of the level. They cannot gain any more than their max health. So grab the potion spheres and bombs and wait until the first enemy walks against a wall, then drill 'em! Repeat for the second enemy. Once you start hurting an enemy, focus on him untill he's captured. When to start attacking an enemy is the key to getting far in the game. I don't know how much you play tested this, but you'd have to be very good to make it to the third level. I play tested it alot, and to the contrary thought it would be too easy for most people. I beat it numerous times with plenty of bombs, life and potion spheres to spare. But then again, I created it...

If you bomb the heck out of the target, you are almost guarenteed to get hurt. Run in, lay 3 bombs, and run away... Run in, lay 3 bombs, and run away... Since the enemy recovers, and you don't, there is really little hope of getting very far whatever you do.

Please use a special effect to show the areas the bomb targets - including color coding the distance. ex. red (around the bomb) does 2 damage, orange (one space away) does 1 damage, and yellow (three spaces) stuns the enemy/ player Good idea, unfortunately I tried this and it causes severe slowdown with the other VFX being shown...(see option 4 below for an expansion of this idea). Visual clues are welcome in any game.

You should make vibration available from the beginning. Hmm... I'll consider it. The game is ALOT more fun with the vibration function enabled... Since you can't feel or see the bomb go off, there is no way to know if you are a safe distance away or not. You really don't have time to count squares.

Suggestions:

1. Get rid of the bomb limit and put in a time limit instead.

2. Limit the bombs but give the p layer a way to get more. For example, the player has to waste time, allowing the enemy to recover, while he runs to a bomb restock area.

3. Don't allow the enemy to recover. This would allow the player more time to place bombs and get away without having to worry about the enemy recoving while he runs around. This would make the game more strategic as the player tries to use as few bombs as possible to take the enemy out.

4. Give the character a weapon so he can stun the enemy before placing the bomb. This would allow the current game play to work since one of the problems is the enemy moves away from the bomb before it goes off.

5. Do it like Zelda, and have the enemy eat the bomb. This is similar to the above but removes the need for a weapon. The player then needs to place the bomb in the correct place before it goes off. This would also reduce the chance of the player getting hurt.

6. Give the player a number of lives and start the current level over when he dies. If all lives are lost, restart the game. DON'T quit the game unless the player wants to quit (offer a menu choice).

7. Increase number of enemies each level and/or make them move faster. Allow the player to heal and get bombs at specific points on the map. Let the enemy damage the character if he touches them. I think this would be more fun then the current style of game play.

This is a very fustrating game, however I wanted to keep playing because it is a fun idea. The best games start out slow and easy, giving the player a chance to learn the system, and then slowly get more difficult. This game is difficult to even get passed the first level. You should be able to do the first 3-4 levels at least before it gets this hard.

Keep working on it. The idea has some real potential."
Great suggestions, thanks! I will definitely consider them...

[Deleted]

This is one thing I have planned to do in my game for Scene Skipping for a while now. Give them a Multiple Choice that is:

No
No
No
No
Yes
No
No
No

This forces the player to make the logical decision of picking Yes. I know it seems excessive, but it's actually pretty clever, and I'm doin' it no matter what you people say! ;D Putting a multiple choice on square and making the player pick Yes to end, RPGM2-systematically, is no different than having square end the game on its own. That's what DW was saying.

[Dungeon Warden]

Ah, yes. [] is a content script, the rest are action. got you. That makes sense. Still you could use the content script to warp the player to the beginning of the level when he pressed [].

You could have a multi-choice on []:

1. Restart level
2. Restart game
3. Quit
4. Continue

then if someone pressed [] by mistake, they could select 4. to continue the game (this can also be used to pause the game).

I'll try your suggestions. Trapping the enemy in a corner would make bombing them easier. Thanks.

[dragaron]

Quote: Dungeon Warden

"Ah, yes. [] is a content script, the rest are action. got you. That makes sense. Still you could use the content script to warp the player to the beginning of the level when he pressed [].

You could have a multi-choice on []:

1. Restart level
2. Restart game
3. Quit
4. Continue

then if someone pressed [] by mistake, they could select 4. to continue the game (this can also be used to pause the game). (Very, very good idea! I will probably be implementing this... Thanks!)

I'll try your suggestions. Trapping the enemy in a corner would make bombing them easier. Thanks." One other trick is to do what basketball players refer to as "boxing out"... Lay a bomb at B and run to one of the X spots. Enemy is E. See below:

XXX
0E0
0B0

The enemy will only be able to move to an unoccupied space. So chances are the enemy will get hurt. The fastest enemy (Green Dragon) moves at 15 F, and the bomb explodes at exactly 28 F after being dropped. So moving to the other side of the enemy is very tough in only 13 F. It helps to lay a bomb on a spot the enemy is half-way occupying (not where they currently are), but where they are in route to:

000
eE0
0B0

Small "e" is where enemy was, and big "E" is where you can visually see the enemy moving to. "B" is the bomb. Thanks for taking interest in my game, and I hope this helps.

[Dungeon Warden]

I had a hard time getting the dragon to move toward a corner, so these suggestions might be more helpful. Thanks again.

[dragaron]

I am sending a new version to Doan. New version has a pause screen when [ ] is pressed... This should make it alot less frustrating. Thanks to Nash7777 and Dungeon Warden for their suggestions...

[Doan the Nado]

I uploaded it yesterday, so you can download it and check it out right away. The link is the same: www.doanthenado.com/files/MiniatureMayhem_XPS.zip or www.doanthenado.com/files/MiniatureMayhem_MAX.zip

[dragaron]

Thank you Doan. I really appreciate you offering the service of hosting our games. That is very kind of you.

If anyone has any advice or suggestions for the new version, please let me know...

[Doan the Nado]

You're quite welcome... it's the least I can do.

[dragaron]

A new updated version was sent to Doan, so it should be available sometime soon...

New features:
Slow down drastically decreased
Ability to turn Visual Displays OFF
Secondary weapon (Shrink Wrap Traps)
New level designs
Positive Re-inforcers (Intended strictly for humor)
and a few other tweaks here and there...

As always, please feel free to give suggestions or comments... (What do you like, hate or find interesting about this game. What would you like to see added/taken away...ect)

[Doan the Nado]

It is now up and available. The links are the same.

[dragaron]

Has anyone tried the new version yet? If, so... Then what do you think? Is it cool, just OK, or as Nash would say "it sucks balls!"... What do you think of the new version, Dungeon Warden?

[Dungeon Warden]

If found the new version easier than the last version but it was still hard. I haven't played it much since I was working on my own mini game (it should be available here soon or you can go to the Pavilionboards.com/forums to get it). I'll play it some more next weekend and see how far I can get.